RID POVERTY & HUNGER IN 50 INDIAN TRIBAL VILLAGES

Awareness camps to educate the farming community on the ill-effects of indiscriminate usage of pesticides and insecticides during agricultural practices in the Nilgiris District were conducted at Meekeri and Bickol villages of the Nilgiris District, Tamilnadu, India during September 2017. The awareness camps were planned in the various villages under the initiation of the present Collector of the Nilgiris District, and conducted by the Department of Horticulture, Nilgiris.

The Collector, after joining office at the Nilgiris District, was on an inspection tour to the various places of the Nilgiris. What she encountered during one such inspection visits was indeed shocking to her. A small farmer in a roadside farm was mixing a pesticide with water and getting ready for application onto his field. The Collector while interacting with the farmer came to know that the farmer was using a red-marked (highly poisonous) pesticide and was not taking any precautionary measures such as hand gloves, mask, etc. The farmer was to have his lunch next after applying the pesticide to his farm and he had no washing soap as well to clean his hands.

The Collector also came to know of the growing incidence of many ailments such as cancer, kidney failures in the Nilgiris District, which are attributed to the indiscriminate usage of pesticides. This was contrary to her opinion about the Nilgiris which she once thought and believed to be a safe haven and devoid of pollution and diseases.

Thus came to fore the pressing need to create awareness and educate the farming community on the safety aspects of pesticide application, minimize pesticide usage and most importantly turn towards natural methods of farming. The Department of Horticulture has been asked to conduct the camps in the various villages. The Meekeri belt is the largest area where conventional farming is practiced followed by the Bickol belt, hence these were the areas to be targeted first.

For the awareness camps, officials from the Department of Horticulture, scientists from the Horticulture Research Station, Tamilnadu Agriculture University, Soil Testing Laboratory, the Earth Trust staff, village leaders and the farming community numbering about 200 attended.

The dangers incurred to the soil, ecology, crop productivity and human health because of the indiscriminate application of pesticides were discussed at length during the awareness camp. The importance of turning back to natural methods of farming and growing vegetables organically was over emphasized during the meeting.

For Earth Trust, it was business as usual, as these types of camps are a routine exercise. The only difference now being that the Government has started to realize the importance of organic farming and is joining hands for the campaign.

Bickol is close to the heart of Earth Trust as the most number of organic farmers associated with the Earth Trust come from this place. The very village head and one the key organizers of the awareness camp, Mr. Viswanathan being a Earth Trust farmer was a proud moment for the Earth Trust. Other ET farmers, Mr. Krishnan, another Mr. Vishwanathan, Mr. Mani, Mr. Arjunan are spearheading the organic movement and campaigning for the cause in the village.

Campaigns such as these in Meekeri and Bickol villages and the concerted effort by the Earth Trust are getting to see more and more number of farmers willing to take the organic way. The seed for a safe and healthy environment which was sown by the Earth Trust long ago is slowly starting to sprout.